Nightmares
by Nodomme
Summary: SLENDER MAN "They weren't you, you weren't them. I could not care whatever blood I spilled that was not yours."
1. Prologue

**This is nothing but a vague draft and the progress is most likely to be rather slow. I will do my best, though. Hope you enjoy.**

_"You're a monster" they said and pointed their pitchforks and torches at me. I gazed down upon the ten faces with distaste; so ignorant, so foolish. They should be afraid. _

_"I know" said I, but how could they possibly understand? I am nothing but a remnant of who I once was. Nothing but ashes and dust, nightmares and rain. How could anybody ever understand that?  
I didn't wish for this to happen, I never did. I didn't want this to happen to you. Most importantly though, I never meant to do this to you. For this, I will never forgive myself. _

_She was my North, my East, my South and my West. Despite my immortality, I lived for her and her alone. She was everything and I ruined it all. It's not easy being a monster. Despite the suit I wear it is not me they see. They see the pale face and the long arms, and the aura of hell that surrounds me. _

_"You will pay for what you have done, creature." So brave they are, these little ones. Too brave._

_"In time" my laugh echoed across the pitch black forest._

_The shortest one lost consciousness first, then the second one. I reached down over the mangled corpse and cut its stomach open with my razor sharp fingers. With cupped hands I gathered blood from the fresh intestines and put them to my lips. Blood was trickling down on my lifeless skin as I took a gulp._

_Slaughtered like a butcher kills a lamb. As I reached to touch the little hand and placed it in my own I didn't even feel bad for it, not even when I heard it crack underneath the inhuman strength of my grasp. In fact, it was pleasurable._

_They weren't you, you weren't them. I could not care whatever blood I spilled that was not yours._


	2. Chapter 1

**Note; Very short, yes. I am aware of that. A lot of things have been up lately, but I will try my best to upload faster and write longer. I'd also love some inspiration from you guys. I am not filled with ideas right now. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy. Also, if you find any errors; don't hesitate to tell me!**

~Chapter 1~

She woke up, a cool drop of sweat slowly rolling down her cheek and gathering on her chin in a damp patch, only to be followed by tears. These dreams had haunted her for quite some time. She did not know who the man was, but she dared not ask. Her mother was already concerned for her, and telling her about the pale man was not going to help anything. She slowly sat up against the comforting pillow of her bed and overlooked the small bedroom. From down the hallway she could hear hushed girlish giggles followed by rapid footsteps indicating somebody was running.

She had been blessed with three lovely sisters, but at a price. She got the smallest room and the littlest amount of affection (if any) and that fact did not help. Of course, she loved her sisters like the moon loves the stars, but sometimes love was not enough.

She had always been a black swan and an outsider for reasons she could not quite grasp. She was beautiful, she could admit that herself, with her auburn hair and intensely green eyes. Yet beauty was not enough. Whenever she passed a group of people they looked a different direction, whenever she conversed with somebody they tended to keep it short and hurriedly be on their way at soonest given opportunity.

She was haunted and she knew it. Ever since her seventh birthday she hadn't been able to shake the feeling of being followed and constantly watched. She knew something wanted her to notice its presence, but she was too afraid to; she deliberately ignored it. Although, the more she ignored it, the worse it got. Like this it went on for years, and he kept showing up in her dreams.

He was a tall figure with a skinny figure and a pale white face that showed nothing but one expression. An expression of nothingness. During the years she had gotten quite used to the idea of her being insane; in fact, she welcomed it with open arms. She'd rather blame it on insanity and pretend like it wasn't real.

Today was her nineteenth birthday, not that anybody actually had managed to remember that. Slowly, she arose and wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. Her heart had regained its regular, steady pace again. She overlooked her room for anything to wear only to find a nightgown on the floor. With a sigh she accepted her unfashionable destiny, put it on and exited her room.

"Lydia" her mother greeted her with a big smile. "You're up."  
"Yes, mother" she replied and proceeded to her sisters; her mother hadn't remembered.  
She greeted the three of them, but nor did they remember. With a sigh, she decided to skip breakfast, get appropriately dressed and head outside.

Sadness crept up on her as she walked back upstairs. It was like nobody actually cared about her. It was fake smiles and charades; to be expected from a family like hers, really. She grabbed hold of a neat white shirt and a pair of black jeans and hastily got dressed. She walked up to her too-small window to see whether a hoodie would be appropriate weather-wise but immediately got distracted by something else.  
At the far end of the estate's far too large garden stood a tall figure with a pale face, long arms and a black suit.

She decided to stay indoors.


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes: Thank you, rebekah, for the great ideas and inspiration. I have got something in mind now, and I hope you won't be disappointed with the way I've chosen to develop this story. **

**As always, feedback is highly appreciated. Also, I'm sorry for taking a horrendous amount of time; I've been out hiking for two days. I hope you enjoy!**

~Chapter 2~

She was running down the muddy pathetic excuse for a market and headed left around the sharp corner of the charcuterie. Her mother had sent her out late that night to acquire some supplies from their old friend; a fisherman who unfortunately lived at the very edge of town, near a narrow but deep lake. Darkness was on the edge of falling, and she increased her pace because she was afraid of the dark. Silently, she cursed her mother for sending her outside; surely somebody else could have done it, or at least followed her. But, no. Her mother had found it appropriate to send her out because she was the oldest, and she started to suspect they wanted some peace and quiet at home. Ever since she'd spotted the man from the window of her room, nothing had been the same. A dark, gloomy atmosphere had spread across her home, only to continue its deeming path down the narrow road and all the way into town. Two weeks later, the plague had struck at full power, and now they were running out of spirit and food.

She increased her pace even further when she felt the rather common chill down her spine. She knew she was being followed, she just didn't know how close her follower was. Neither did she stop when her lungs started to ache, nor did she turn around to check whether her feelings were of a rightful nature or not.

With only one hundred meters left to the fisherman's cottage, she had to slow down. She had to catch her breath and gather some strength for the run back home. She could see the lights coming out of the only window of the cottage, and she instantly felt a little safer. She allowed herself to relax momentarily, but it turned out to be a mistake. The feeling of her being followed grew, and her body forced her to look behind her shoulder.

There he was. Four hundred meters down the path she had just been running he stood, the man with the suit and the pale as death face. He wasn't moving or making any indication to that he was going to either. He just stood there, looking her direction.

The loud ringing in her ears snapped her out of the paralysis she was in, and she forced her legs to move towards the cottage again. Terrified, she stumbled as quickly as she could towards the door, and made it indoors.

"Lydia?" Charles, the fisherman, sounded astonished. "What in heaven's name are you doing here?"  
"I..." she took a deep breath before speaking. "Mother sent me. We've run out of food."  
Charles smiled warmly at her and she relaxed slightly.  
"I understand. I have spare food; it's hard times and I suspected you'd need my assistance."  
"That's very kind of you" she managed. Her heart was still pounding away in her chest and she hadn't quite shook the feeling away yet; the ringing in her ears was still present.  
Charles, who had been sitting on a chair facing the window, got up and walked over to a large storage chest and opened it. She decided to take a quick glance out the window to see if he was still there. With another person present she was certain she'd manage it.

As she turned her head, she froze in sheer terror. Five meters from the window he stood, looking her direction although he had no eyes. She'd never seen more than the silhouette of him before, but she could tell he had no mouth, nor nose, nor eyes. As she was about to scream, the creature put its long finger to where its lips should have been, demanding her to be quiet. She didn't know why she obeyed him, but she did.  
_"Rip... Him... Apart." _The voice was nothing more but a whisper, but it sent shivers down her spine. She took a last look at the creature before turning to Charles again. She was smiling now, the right corner of her mouth curved into a grin.

She stepped over to Charles' desk and overlooked it. There was nothing of except for an old rusty knife used for opening envelopes with. She picked it up and weighted it in her hand; it was light enough. Silently, she stepped up behind Charles.  
"Found anything?" her voice sounded strained but he didn't look at her.  
"Yes. I will give you a packag-"  
He fell dead to the floor, the envelope knife deep inside the back of his chest, right where his heart was.

She looked outside the window again. The man with the face was gone.

She woke up in her bed, covered in sweat and tears. The memories of the cottage were nothing but a faint taste of blood on her tongue; she had no memories of how she got home either.


	4. Chapter 3

**Note: Sorry for an incredibly short chapter. I am trying to overcome my writer's block. A proper chapter will most likely be released this weekend. Love you all!**

Extract from a torn notebook found in the forest. Its owner remains unknown.

_I have been following her for years._

_She's not like the others._

_There's something so inhuman about her. _

_She is enjoying murder; humans don't enjoy murder._

_I've got my eyes on her. _

_I wonder what next move I shall make. _

_How far should I go to test her limits?_


	5. Chapter 4

**Note: Sorry lads. I haven't been able to write much because of private matters, but I am on it again! Yet again, sorry for it being so short. Love you all. :-) **

~Chapter 4~

The first time she ever saw him was at the age of seven, when she was taking a late walk home from Charles. Her mother had not cared enough to let anybody escort her; according to her women were independent creatures who could take care of themselves, despite the fact they were but seven. She was paranoid, walking with her torn teddy in her left hand, constantly watching her back to make sure nobody was following her. She had almost reached the more familiar part of town when she took another glance back, and there he was. Two hundred meters back he stood, looking at her. She should have been frightened at that time, but the curious mind of a seven year old took over. She made a full stop, slowly turning around, making her way forward to the strange man in the costume.

He stopped his slow pace; he seemed to be hesitating.  
"Hello?" her squeaky voice disappeared in the strong autumn winds, but he seemed to hear her nonetheless.  
He looked her direction without showing any sign of further movement from his side. The naive mind she possessed got the better of her, and she did not see him as threat. Happily, she increased her pace forwards, skittering along and closing the distance between them.

When she was but fifty meters away she suddenly stopped. Something didn't feel right and there was an immense ringing in her ears. The strange man had slowly started backing away, but his arm was now stretched her direction with a skinny finger motioning her to follow.

She dropped her teddy and ran all the way home to her mother who could not possibly understand what had made a strong woman like her cry like a little girl. She didn't ask though, but comforted her for once.

When she went to bed later that night she found her teddy had been returned and was lying safely in her bed.


	6. Chapter 5

**Note: Sorry, sorry, sorry for not updating quicker! I am drowning in exams and homeworks and whatnot. I am trying my hardest though! I've great ideas right now though. Hopefully updating will be more frequent once I've managed my exams. Love you all. **

~Chapter 5~

The old horse carriage creaked worryingly with the increased pace of the two horses that pulled it. Lydia was sitting in the front with the charioteer while her sisters and mother were sitting inside the wagon, shielded from the pouring rain and the constantly judging eyes. She could hear her sisters giggling and her mother's displeased voice telling them to keep it down a notch. Quietly she let out a sigh but the charioteer raised his eyebrow at her.  
"Is everything alright, ma'am?" he asked shyly. She looked up at him and smiled vaguely. He didn't look any older than twenty.  
"Yes, I'm quite alright. Thank you for the concern though." She attempted a full-on smile. His eyes lingered her for a moment longer than they should have before they returned to the gravel path ahead.  
"Very well" he didn't sound convinced but he let it pass. "You're very beautiful."  
"That is highly inappropriate" she replied, cheeks reddening from sheer embarrassment.  
"Perhaps" he laughed lightly and smiled at her with his bright green eyes.  
"You're quite dandy yourself" she said after a short moment of hesitation. He gave her a hearty smile.

"What is your name, if I may ask?"  
"Lydia. Yours?"  
"Lucas." She looked at him and felt strangely warm, despite the pouring rain and the chill.

"Pleased to meet you, Lucas."

The carriage proceeded through a gloomy dark forest, across a torn bridge over a broad river and around supper time it had finally reached its destination – Lydia's aunt, uncle and their three children. When Lydia was young she had quite appreciated the visits, but now she had nothing in common with any of them. Sure, they were about her age and yes, they had fun together, but it was nothing special anymore. She gave Lucas a warm smile before smoothly jumping out of the carriage and onto the wet ground, spraying mud everywhere.  
"Lydia!" her mother shouted. It was but her name but the message was clear.  
"Yes, yes. Sorry mother." She rolled her eyes and Lucas supressed a giggle. Before joining her mother and reuniting with her family, she turned to Lucas who was on the now lonely carriage.  
"When will I see you again?" she asked and attempted a flirty smile. Some form of effect it seemed to have on him because he scratched his ear awkwardly and smiled at her.

"Tomorrow, when I am picking you up."  
"Splendid" she said with a smile and left.

Her mother's energetic conversation with her aunt enhanced her mood a little. She had missed them after all, no matter how little she enjoyed their company now compared to back then. After happily giving them a hug each they proceeded into the familiar house and were lead to their respective bedroom. Unsurprisingly, Lydia had to have the single-bed bedroom; her sisters thoroughly enjoyed their cousins' company and they would have insisted on them sleeping together. Lydia didn't mind much anyway. She enjoyed having a little time to herself every now and then.

She noticed her mind had wandered off a little when her cousin Emma entered the bedroom because it made her jump.  
"Emma" she smiled warmly at her. Emma had always been her favourite cousin, and she still had a lot of things in common with her. She was very down to earth and quite intelligent.  
"Oh, dear Lydia" she smiled back and embraced her with a hug. "I've so much to tell you!"  
"Well, I have all night" she said and gestured for Emma to sit down next to her.  
"I'll be right there! I have to show you something."  
She watched as Emma hurriedly exited the room and listened to the rapid footsteps that disappeared down the hallway.

Two minutes later she returned with a large notebook in her hand. She was looking rather excited as she threw herself down on the bed next to Lydia.  
"Look at this" she said and gestured towards one of her recent drawings. She had quite the talent for both drawing and painting, but she never showed off to anybody.

The picture itself was quite beautiful. The scenery was a deep forest with green oaks and green grass. It reminded her of a place she'd seen before. She carefully eyed the picture and it took her no longer than two seconds to notice a creature in the far edge of the forest. It was the silhouette of a tall man in black clothes with a black faced. Momentarily, Lydia's heart skipped a beat.  
"What… what is that?" she pointed towards the man.  
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about."  
She looked very serious as she took a breath to prepare herself.

When she spoke, there was no hint of amusement in her voice.  
"I saw him last night, at the edge of the garden."


	7. Chapter 6

**Note: Hello guys. I know I've not updated in forever and this is very short and I apologize. I've been literally drowning with exams and homework. I've a pretty good idea how to develop this, though. Stay tuned! Welcome back, rebekah. Hope you did alright with your exams! :-) **

~Chapter 6~

Lydia stared silently at Emma for a minute before giving her response.  
"You… you saw him?" her voice wouldn't obey her; it was shaking like she'd been out in the cold.  
Emma gave her a strange glance and nodded repeatedly.  
"Yes, I saw him. I'm certain."  
"Very well." Lydia waited another thirty seconds before speaking again. She tried to relax.  
"I've seen him, too."  
Emma's eyes widened considerably.  
"You have?! When?" Her eyes were glowing with curiosity.

Lydia considered making up a lie telling her how it was only once and how vague it had been; how she barely even believed it herself. Quite rapidly, though, she shook the idea off and decided to just throw it out there.

"Well," she began nervously. "Yes, I've seen him; many times in fact. The first time was when I was seven."  
An excited gasp from Emma caused her to relax a little – Emma didn't think she was crazy.  
"How does he look?" Emma asked. "I mean, I've barely seen him. Do you know who he is?"  
"He's quite tall and he always seems to wear this black fancy suit. I've never come closer than a couple of meters, but I've clearly noticed he doesn't seem to have a face. It's more of a white surface. And no, I do not know who he is. To be rather honest with you I think I'd rather not know."

"Oh, Lydia" Emma's eyes were glowing with excitement. _Not quite the reaction I had expected, _Lydia noted quietly.  
"Do you really not want to find out? I mean, are you not interested at all?"  
Lydia pondered for a moment before shrugging and smiling.  
"Well… I am interested" she lowered her eyes away from Emma's. "I guess I'm just afraid."  
"Don't be afraid" she murmured and grabbed her hand. "We will find out. Together."

_..._

_Things are getting out of hand. _

_I have misinterpreted her. _

_If things do not change, something drastic will have to be done. _

Extract from a torn notebook found in the woods.

...

That morning Lydia awoke with a loud ringing in her ears.


	8. Chapter 7

**Note: Thank you all for the lovely response I've recieved! It is greatly appreciated. Have a cookie. **

~Chapter 7~

"This way" Emma demanded and Lydia had a hard time keeping up with Emma's pace. Emma had after all, in opposition to Lydia, always been a forest-wandering kind of person. Lydia had always admired that in a sense; the sense of direction and the skills at tracking animal prints on the ground. The latter had proven to be rather useful in the hunting sessions she'd been allowed to attend. As they ventured deeper into the forest, the trees stood narrow and many, restricting the amount of sunlight shining down upon the small path Emma was following.

They had been walking for over two hours. Despite Lydia's several attempts to cancel the plan claiming she had changed her mind, she had tagged along anyway. Stubborn as only Emma could be, she had naturally refused to believe Lydia and said she had just gotten cold feet; besides, the excursion was but an adventure. Nothing would actually happen, she believed. It was only an attempt to pass some time which would otherwise be spent listening to their dear mothers' eternal nagging about how neither of Lydia or Emma were married and what fine gentlemen they could potentially capture the heart of.

It was about at the same time as those last hopeful rays of sunlight were lost somewhere in the dark foliage that Lydia started feeling paranoid. She felt the usual shivers of discomfort spread across her skin, leaping vertically from her neck all the way down her spine. With shaking hands she tightened the coat she was wearing around her, as if her arms would protect her from whatever dangers she felt laid ahead. Emma, however, seemed oblivious to what was going on. She was strolling along happily, casting a glance over her back to meet Lydia's eyes every now and then. When their eyes met this time, though, all signs of glee had disappeared from Emma's eyes.  
"You feel it too?" Lydia breathed.  
"Yes… Perhaps we should head back." Emma was known for being big-headed talking about things, but when it actually came down to the event occurring, she always seemed to grasp on to her cowardice.

Lydia breathed a sigh of relief as Emma started walking back towards home with a quick pace.

…..

With an hour left to go, Lydia hadn't yet been able to shake the feeling of being followed. She was so familiar to the feeling she had barely noticed it at first, but it had grown in intensity during the few hours they had been walking. Even Emma had started looking nervous, and had started casting frequent glances behind her back as if she had to reassure herself of Lydia's continued presence. It was rather enervating. By the time they had roughly a kilometre left, Emma came to a sudden halt again. Slowly, she turned around to meet Lydia's eyes.

"Did you hear that?" she looked genuinely scared.  
"No… Heard what?" Lydia gave her a confused glance.  
"Oh, never mind" she laughed nervously. "It must be my mind playing tricks on me."  
Lydia gave her a smile and she seemed to relax a little, continuing to trace the path home with a slightly slower pace.  
"Lydia?" she asked and looked back at Lydia again.

…..

The first thing Lydia noticed was the sheer look of terror in Emma's eyes. The second thing was the white hand with the long fingers that was currently resting upon her own left shoulder. Emma was frozen in pure fear, and Lydia felt the ringing in her ears louder than ever before. She had shivers going all across her body and she could clearly feel somebody standing behind her. _He _was standing behind her. Shortly after that, she felt the other cold, bony hand grab her hip gently, pushing her aside. The tall man stepped in front of her, staring down at Emma's face – she couldn't move. With one rapid move, he brought his hand out towards Emma's chest, his nails digging deep into her flesh, followed by his entire hand. Emma didn't even have the time to scream before he had ripped her heart out of her chest – still beating before slowly stopping, lying bloody in his hand. Two seconds later, he was gone. Lydia sunk to her knees and the moment she was released from his spell, she fell unconscious with a vague taste of human blood on her lips.


	9. Chapter 8

__**Note: Exams are done. I am ill. Christmas inbound. Stay tuned for chapter 9 (it will come reeeeeelatively shortly.) **

_I misinterpreted her – she is much more than I could ever have imagined. _

_To see her on her knees before me, gently nibbling on that fresh human heart._

_It is better than I could have ever imagined.  
She is succumbing to the darkness.  
I must leave my mark.  
She's mine. _

Extract from a torn notebook found in the woods.


	10. Chapter 9

**Note: UPDATED! **

~Chapter 9~

A buzz of hushed voices. A crowd of worried faces. The world was spinning only to come to a halt. She was gone.

Lydia's mother sat on an uncomfortable couch in Emma's house. She was surrounded by people – policemen, family and neighbours. Emma's mother had been hurried by horse to the local hospital – her body hadn't been able to bear the news. Emma was dead and Lydia had gone missing.

"Ma'am, we'd like to ask you a few questions" a kind-looking man made her jump. He had a torn leather belt in which he had a sharp short sword and he had brown trousers. He didn't look like a policeman at all.  
"I'm Lucas" he greeted her with a soft smile. "I drove your horse carriage here - I am here to assist the policemen". Lydia's mother gave him a short nod but struggled to return the smile. "I have to ask you a few questions, if that's alright?"  
She gave him a brief nod.

"Well" he begun and took a paper out of his pocket. "We found this on Emma; do you have any idea what it is?"

It was a torn, dirty, white note picturing a crossed over circle. It looked like it was painted in blood.

"I'm sorry, no" she said tiredly and he smiled understandingly at her and decided to leave her alone.

"I'm certain we will find your daughter" he said just before he left. This evoked a tiny spark of hope in Lydia's mother.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The evening sun stirred the cold, hard ground, bathing it in golden orange and pink. The majestic light softly swept across the landscape, glowing in the skyline as if the all forests were on fire, spreading golden warmth into the darkest of homes. It was that kind of evening that easily evoked hope in the most stubborn of pessimists; for to most it was an evening of fortune. However for others, it was not.

Lydia's hometown spoke of a change - something was about to occur. Although people were walking around in the warming sunlight, there was something cold about this evening. Lydia's mother was on her way back to the house - she wished to be alone with her daughters, for Lydia had not yet been found. She was met by kind voices and worried eyes, but she didn't take in any of it. She hadn't quite realized what had happened.

She was so very tired. So tired, in fact, that she went straight to bed once she had walked indoors and prepared dinner for her daughters. Once her head touched her pillow she fell asleep - the anxious dreams welcomed her again.

Somewhere in the distant blur of reality a door slammed shut. And again. And again. Lydia's mother opened her eyes, slowly aware of the presence in the room. Half-asleep she searched the room, only to stop at the doorway. Her face immediately paled and she slowly sat up.

"Lydia? Is that you?"  
The woman dressed in white was holding a bloody knife in her hand, and she did not answer. Instead, she slammed the door shut.

"Lydia?" she shouted this time, hastily getting out of bed. "Lydia, darling, is that you?"

There was nothing but an echoing silence. Slowly, she sneaked over to the door and grabbed the handle, slowly opening the door. There was nobody there, or in the hallway.

"I must be crazy…" she mumbled to herself, and decided to head back into the bedroom. Once she turned around, the woman was standing on her bed, smiling down at her.

"Lydia!" she cried out, for it was Lydia indeed. She could see as much now. "Lydia, where have you been? And why do you have a knife?"

She noticed a quiet ringing in her ears but she chose to ignore it – she was starting to feel afraid.

"Lydia? Please talk to me."  
Lydia did not reply. Instead, she smiled down at her again, her eyes black as the night. Then, she jumped down from the bed and ran out of the door giggling quietly. She disappeared downstairs.  
"Lydia!" she shouted from the top of her lungs, and then everything went black.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lydia's mother was awakened by a loud, heart-piercing scream, followed by loud crying coming from downstairs. Her head was spinning and she felt nauseous. With unsteady legs she stood up. She did not remember how she ended up on the floor in the bathroom, but she didn't have time to think about it. She ran downstairs from where the noises had come and found Lydia on the kitchen floor, crying in a small puddle of blood.  
Lydia's mother quickly ran over to her and took her face between her hands.  
"Lydia? What's happening? Where are you hurt?"  
Lydia didn't answer, but simply lowered her eyes to the level of the floor and then her arm.

On the floor laid the bloody knife and on Lydia's right underarm was a symbol. It was a crossed over circle. It was carved deep into her flesh.

"My dear Lydia, we have to get you to the hospital. What have you done?"

"No" her voice was dark and quiet – it did not sound like her usual voice.

"But darling, you are bleeding" she felt the panic she had been trying to suppress bubble up to the surface.

"No. I'm staying" she gave her mother a venomous look.

"But…" Lydia's mother was interrupted before she got to continue her sentence. Lydia had launched a neat kitchen chair at her. It hit her in the head and she blacked out.


	11. Chapter 10

**Note: Sorry about the long wait. **

~Chapter 10~

The chilly morning air was unusually damp. Lucas was on his regular morning walk in the southern part of the forest, strictly avoiding the northern part since Emma's killing. The forest was stunning in its summer glory. The tall, light, trees appeared to come alive in the morning sun – a breeze sweeping across the leaves, spreading soft whispers in the wind. Lucas had always believed trees communicated that way and he was fascinated as always when he walked outside to observe the treetops. He inhaled deeply and continued his slow pace on the gravel path, moving his eyes from the trees to observe the small, purple lilies growing on each side of the grassy path. Oh, how he loved the forest.

He let his mind wander freely and thought about how he saw a fawn once, drinking from a narrow lake, and how magnificent the sight had been. He thought about the way the sun caressed your skin with soft fingers, and he thought about _her. _He hadn't let himself do so since her disappearance, and he had not heard any recent news from her mother. He was so lost in thought he didn't notice he walked into something before he stumbled, and barely managed to save himself from falling. He looked at what he had walked into, and gasped.

On the ground below a willow tree, with her back against the trunk sat Lydia with a notebook in her lap and a pencil in her hand. Lucas couldn't believe his eyes.

"L-Lydia? Is that you?"

Lydia looked up to see who had walked into her, and met his eyes. She smiled widely.

"Lucas! I'm so happy to see you. What are you doing here?"

Her reaction, which was a very normal reaction, baffled him.

"I'm… I was just taking a walk" he looked at her and smiled gently. "What are _you _doing here?"

He didn't want to be too forwards about asking why she left.

"Oh… I'm just drawing. Do you want to see?" she smiled heartily at him and his cheeks reddened ever so slightly.  
"Yes, I'd love to." He sat next to her on the soft grass and looked down on the notebook she held in her hand.

The pencil drawing was remarkably beautiful. It portrayed a large corn field, ravens circling in the sky in desperate search for prey. A small bunny was skittering along the field, and the sun stood high. In the background stood a figure he did not recognise – he didn't pay much attention to it.

"Wow, Lydia. That's amazing! I didn't know you were such an artist."

She smiled shyly at him and he winked at her with a friendly look in his eyes.

"Emma taught me" she said silently. "Before she… you know" she added quickly and looked away for a moment. Lucas didn't know what to say – he remained silent for a while.

"Well, she has taught you well" he said as an attempt to ease up the mood. She smiled at him, and closed her eyes, letting the warming sun caress her face. She was beautiful.

They sat there in silence for what seemed like an eternity before Lydia opened her eyes again and looked at him. Immediately he looked away, suddenly very aware of that he had been studying her face intently. Lydia nervously stretched out her hand and forced him to meet her eyes again, her hand on his chin. He swallowed loudly.

Before he knew what was going on, Lydia reached over and kissed his bottom lip gently. He was shocked at first, but quickly answered the kiss and put a hand on her neck and the other in her hair, pulling her closer. His tongue trailed across her lips and she moaned silently, causing him to smile brightly. He bit her lip and she moved onto his lap, kissing him passionately.

After a moment she broke free and stood up slowly, motioning for him to follow. He did as requested and stood up on unsteady feet. She grabbed his hand, and told him to follow her.

They walked for an hour. The scenery changed from the light-green forest, to a thick pine forest, air swarming with mosquitos. They walked uphill for most of the journey, and they walked in silence. Neither of them felt the need to talk. The gravel path became more and more narrow, and eventually subdued into an animal-made path through the high grass. Lydia increased the pace and he followed.

"Look!" she said excitedly. "We're here."

The view that met him was astonishing. They had climbed up an incredibly high hill, from which you could overlook the entire landscape. You could see the green forest and the still lake, and all across to the snowy mountains in the far distance. There was a flight of common buzzards shrieking in the distance, diving towards the ground as they spotted a mouse on the ground. The evening sun coloured the sky pink and all shades of orange – Lucas had never seen anything more majestic in his entire life. He smiled happily towards Lydia, who smiled right back at him.

"Come" she whispered and motioned for him to walk over to her. She was stood against an old birch, looking at him with something unreadable in her eyes. She grabbed him when he was close enough, and pressed her lips against his. He pressed her up against the wall and kissed her back – with confidence this time.

Just as his hands found their way down her sides, he opened her eyes to see her smiling.

"What are you smiling at?" he asked.

Before she answered he fell to his knees, a large wooden stake driven through his chest from behind. He let out a terrified shriek before releasing his very last breath – the sigh of death. His expression stilled, his eyes still filled with horrors. Blood sprayed Lydia's clothes and face but she just laughed at him and looked behind him towards the ledge of the cliff. She looked straight at the man in the suit, who stood immobilized a couple of meters away. The ringing in her ears was immense, and she kicked Lucas' body out of the way without hesitation, and walked towards the white-faced man.

…

_"I did something I did not believe I was capable of._

_I put my hand on her shoulder. It touched human skin – without a harming hand. What has become of me?"_

Extract from a torn notebook found in the woods.


	12. Chapter 11

**Note: FINALLY!**

~Chapter 11~

"Drowning deep in my sea of loathing  
Broken your servant I kneel  
(Will you give it to me?)  
It seems what's left of my human side  
Is slowly changing in me  
(Will you give it to me?)

Looking at my own reflection  
When suddenly it changes  
Violently it changes  
Oh no, there is no turning back now  
You've woken up the demon in me"

_Down With the Sickness – Disturbed_

The field stretched far and wide, covering acre after acre with tall, green grass. On occasion, a flower would have found its way through the grass, lazily stretching its neat colours towards the sun – but mostly it was just grass. An endless ocean of green that would, if you stared at it long enough, engulf you in its benign arms, and swallow your body if you were to lie down. The insatiable waves the wind fuelled spread across the field that had momentarily seemed peaceful – it was now in full movement. The gusts were malignantly cheek-slapping if you were to turn the wrong way. Lydia shivered in the cold air, wrapping her shaking arms around herself. The sun had hidden away behind dark, threatening-looking clouds. She was sitting with her back against a tall, lonesome birch in the middle of the field, and she had _him _standing motionlesslyby her side. He was patiently waiting for her to break the silence – he did not want to be hasty with what he was about to do. In his skinny, black hand he held the leather notebook in which he had scribbled thoughts down for the past five months. He held it with a firm grasp, unable to let it go just yet. He knew he had to, eventually, but for now it was still one of his most precious belongings.

"You're not the talking type" she pointed out, and he wasn't sure how to interpreter that. He just shook his faceless head slightly, hoping it would be enough an answer. Fortunately it was, and she let it slide.

"You know…" She began, her voice giving away that she was a little insecure. "You have taught me so much about life and death, and I thought I ought to thank you for it."

To this he gave her no answer or gesture, or anything at all. A minute later he instead simply put the open notebook he had been holding in his hands and placed it gently on her lap.

_"29__th__ of June, 1703. _

_I have contacted Rosalie and she told me the transformation is soon to be completed. I don't exactly know why I agreed to it in the first place. The money was tempting, I must confess, but it was not tempting enough. The only explanation was that the thoughts of immortality had started growing on me. Rosalie told me the only thing left was a human sacrifice. I must admit I thought it sounded crazy, but after pondering for a while I realized nothing was crazier than what I was about to do anyway. My wife would have to do, I decided._

_Quite frankly, I do not think I loved her enough to stop it. Ironically, she said she loved me to death, and that is what convinced me she would do. Three days after I had made my mind up I wrote a letter to Rosalie, and the following week I was travelling by horse to her surprisingly large mansion. She had failed to tell me exactly how_ _wealthy she was. My wife was clinging to my waist as the horse sped up the pace. She was not very fond of riding – she had agreed to come with me solely due to the fact she believed we were going to visit my friend for a ball that was to take place in a week's time. _

_Upon our arrival we were met by Rosalie. It was rare to see her smiling, but now she was smiling for ear to ear as she shook my wife's hand and showed us inside. _

_Her mansion was stylishly and comfortably furnished with creamy walls and fireplaces in almost every room. It was very dreamy, which reminded me of what had to be done. Later that night, we tied her up in her sleep and brought her down the basement._

_She did not scream much. In fact, she did not do much at all. I guess she was so shocked she was unable to react properly. Before I put the knife to her guts, I looked her straight in her bright blue eyes. They reflected panic, sorrow and betrayal. My heart stung momentarily, but I did not pay it much attention. We slit her up and drained her of all her blood – the sacrifice was completed. _

_I did not sleep well that night. My veins appeared to be boiling and I was very pale. I turned from side to side, unable to relax. I felt pain, guilt and fear, but eventually those emotions subsided into apathy – one of which I had never encountered before in my entire life. Eventually, I felt nothing. I had severely paled, I was no longer breathing and my heart was no longer beating. I knew the transformation had worked – I was finally immortal. _

_The faceless figure I saw in the mirror was not at all what I had expected, though. Something was not right. She had promised I would look the same, feel the same and act the same. I killed her on the spot."_

She didn't speak a word, and her eyes refused to leave the notebook. For the first time in his entire life, he felt scared - scared and utmost lonesome.

"Please…" he pleaded. "Say something."

His human-like voice startled her, and she looked up to study him carefully. Slowly she put one hand on his cheek, but immediately let it drop when she was met by nausea and an immense ringing in her ears.

Once she had recovered, she put the notebook aside and returned to looking at him.

"What is your name?" she asked. He shook his head and sat down properly on the grass.

"I… I can't" His voice was quiet, but she didn't seem very convinced.  
"Alright, my name is – well, was – Alexander."

"Alexander" she tasted the name on her lips. "I approve."  
"Now, Alexander" she then said sweetly. "Will you help me become immortal?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Her pace was quick through the forest. She followed the narrow path he knew so well by now – the one that led straight to her house. He had been walking down this path hundreds of times, wishing to get a glimpse of her drawing in the garden or standing by the window so many times before. This time it was different. He understood what she was about to do, but he wasn't sure what to do with it. The terrifying feeling that he was somewhat the cause of her behavior he immediately shook off. There was no time to waste thinking of such nonsense. Lydia almost ran now. Her breath was getting faster and her heartbeat louder.

It didn't take Lydia more than two hours to make her way to the house. It was a journey that would normally have taken at least three hours, but she was so set on what she was about to do that she could think of nothing else. Her steps were taken with utter decisiveness, and her body was strained – this was it! She didn't even knock when she entered the building. Quietly, she locked the door behind her.

The light was weak, and Lydia had to strain her eyes to see clearly. She took three quiet steps over to the kitchen counter and grabbed a candle. She lit it so she could see what she was doing properly. With haste she walked over to the cupboard in which her mother had always hid cookies when she was a child. Her mother had said she was under no circumstances allowed to open the cupboard because of all the sharp knives that were stored in there. Lydia had always been terrified to open it, but now she confidently slid it open and grabbed a sharp-looking kitchen knife.

She didn't make a sound and as she progressed upstairs - her breath was unsteady and her hands were trembling. Behind her, she felt the presence of him. He was going to assist her, after all. She turned left down the corridor upstairs and sneaked into her oldest sister's room. Her sister was fast asleep in her bed – she didn't notice Lydia entering the room. Lydia walked over to the bed and took one of the left-over pillows. She walked up to the head-side of the bed, and quickly put the pillow over her sister's face. With a swift stab of the knife, she had stabbed her sister in the heart. Red blood was flowing from her chest, down onto the white sheets. Lydia smiled and slit her sister's guts open before leaving the room. If it was to be done, it had to be done properly.

Her other sisters didn't scream or struggle either. It was two flawless, silent kills with sheets drained in blood. Lydia felt exalted – never before had she accomplished something so great. She could feel herself changing already. The only thing that remained was one final kill.

Her mother.

. . . . . . .

Lydia's mother was lying on her stomach in her huge double-bed. Before entering Lydia got an old rope from her former room and tied her mother's hands together. Luckily, Lydia's mother had always been an astoundingly heavy-sleeper. She didn't wake up before she was fully tied to a chair, unable to move. Her legs were spread open and each foot was tied together with a leg of the chair.

"Mother" Lydia smiled warmly at her. "You're awake."

"Lydia?" her mother looked at her, then down to her own tied-up body, then back to Lydia again. "What is this?"  
"Oh, mother, don't worry" she assured her. "I know what I am doing."

With confident steps Lydia closed the three-meter gap between them and sat down on her mother's lap.

"You know how very fond of you I am, mother" her voice was soft as silk. "I am going to show you just how fond of you I am."

Lydia got off her mother's lap and stood up. She started walking in slow circles around the chair. Each time she passed the door she could see him in the hallway, watching her from a distance. With a firm hold of the knife, Lydia stopped behind her mother's back and her tied hands. She kneeled down, and kissed her mother's wrists. Then she brought the knife to them and slit the first one open. Her mother cried out in pain, but Lydia ignored her and slit her other wrist open too. Blood was dripping from her wrists to the floor, and Lydia licked the blood off the knife. Then she continued walking around the chair, in manic circles. Her mother was now crying loudly but she didn't say anything except for that.

The next time Lydia stopped was to kneel in front of her mother, meeting her eyes as she brought the knife down to her foot and cut her big toe off. Then the other. Then the remaining toes on her feet. Her mother was screaming and crying violently, desperately trying to get away, but to no avail. After an hour, her mother closed her eyes, letting out one final breath. Her body had been emptied of blood.

Alexander stepped into the room. Lydia no longer paid attention to the ringing in her ears – she had been around him for long enough to ignore it.

"I don't understand" she said. "It should be completed."

He looked at her silently. Somewhere inside him he realized what he had done to her.

"I should… I don't…" furiously she walked back and forth in the room. Eventually she became so furious she grabbed her knife and stabbed her mother's lifeless body. Over and over she stabbed it. In the heart, in her face, in the chest – you could no longer make out what she had looked like.

With a saddened heart Alexander realized what he had to do. He walked over to her and took the knife from her shaking hands. She turned to face him, and he could see tears were rolling down her cheeks. For a moment he thought she was saved – that she was regretting what she had done.

"What must I do for it to work?" she asked quietly. That's when he decided he would have to go through with it – to end this once and for all. After all, everything was his fault.

He looked her in the eyes as he drove the knife into her heart. Her eyes reflected shock and her knees fell to the floor. "Alex" she whispered before she died.

He felt something precious break deep inside his chest.


	13. Epilogue

~ Epilogue ~

_"What is left of me now?_

_A monster without purpose_

_I could not believe what I had done_

_But I had to let her go_

_I will never forget the look on her face_

_As she fell to the floor_

_It has been written on my heart_

_And in the essence of my soul_

_I am nothing without her_

_And nothing I shall remain_

_She was not for me_

_I was not for her_

_I am for no one but myself_

_And so it must remain_

_I am a flightless bird_

_And there will be no more after me"_

The bottom of the page in the notebook had been stained with blood. The girl closed the book and leaned back against the trees – she wasn't able to believe what she had just read.

Eventually she got up, put the notebook in her bag, and walked down the path of the forest. She didn't notice, but in the distance a man with a suit and a pale face walked with a steady pace towards her.


End file.
